University
of Waterloo had discovered a new kind of molecules that can effectively kill
the cancer cells while protecting the healthy cells. After the pre-clinical
tests, the hopes are high that these newly discovered molecules can help cure
common cancers such as breast, ovarian, lungs and cervical.

Named as
nonplatinum-based halogenated molecules, these molecules is similar to
Cisplatin which is actively used for chemotherapy, but Cisplatin is toxic to
the healthy cells as well.

Cisplatin
is both useful as it can destroy the cancer cells, but it is also destructive
as it also kills the normal cells of the patient’s body. Also the infused
platinum on the molecules causes severe side effects such as nausea, vomiting,
kidney damage and neurotoxicity.

University
of Waterloo’s lead author of the research, Prof. Qing-Bin Lu, discovered the nonplatinum-based
halogenated molecules while studying the how cancer starts and how DNA had been
damaged. He shared that the usual cause of cancer are chemicals, smoking and
radiation.

The team
studied how the DNA is damaged to be able to develop treatments against cancer.
To easily study the DNA’s, Professor Lu used the femtosecond time-resolved
laser spectroscopy. This is a molecular filming technique that can help researchers
study the DNA’s in real time. This shows how the cancer cells are formed.

The laser
technique was fused with the cellular and molecular biological techniques
termed as femtomedicine. Nonplatinum-based halogenated molecules was then
discovered. It was also called as the FMD compound. They had seen that while it
destroys the cancer cells as it entered the cell, it helps the healthy cells to
produce glutathione, giving it protection.

Patents had
been applied for the newly discovered molecules and Professor Lu is hoping to
start clinical trials soon. He hopes that this will help save lives of cancer
patients.